Automatically-regulated precisionball processing machine



March-1, 1960 R. A. SURERUS 2,925,454

AUTOMATICALLY-REGULATED PRECISION-BALL PROCESSING MACHINE Filed March 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: ROBERT A. SURERUS W TATT YS March 1, 1960 R. A. SURERUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG, 2

PILOT LITE PS-I IL fl CRI CIR-2 CR-I OPEN

L m We 07- T 4 A R C T S NL ROBERT A. SURERUS ATT'YS March 1, 1960 I su us 2,926,464

AUTOMATICALLY-REIGULATED PRECISION--BALL PROCESSING MACHINE Filed March 3, 1-959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

PS-2 K 32 28 29 3| CONTROL 9 OPEN PANEL 1:1

1' 7 I 0 SE 9 n1 .F 1:: 30

INVENTOR: ROBERT A. SURERUS United States Patent 6 AUTOMATICALLYQREGULATED, PRECISION Robert A, Surerus, Wheaten, Eli; Application. March a, 1959; smar s mess;

6 Cla ms- (C i Each involves a pair of opposed, disk-shaped, concentrically-mounted ball-surfacing members one of which is rotat ye hiehntesi h he he e w h is a a tah e a erm t a u me ts i the elative ax a sp of the members, first, to receive the balls subject to pr oc essing, subsequently to vary pressures on the balls during th rela ve eta i h hi th m m e n at r, e pe it the discharge of the processed balls. In the machines for flashing and grinding, one of the members is formed with a series of annular grooves'or rills on the face eppese i ge the he mem er wh h s an abrasive i i' aeeh a ing ma h e h h me e formed w h, ann l e' e es er his h th re p eti e p d faces.

n an of thes mac in s heie e h d/e 'eh e I ed the r a v a i l adjus me the w members is efiected manually. Generally this 'is done by the turning of e. qhvehtieha hh hwhe l eyed hi shaft having t eaded p rt on mesh n ith h thr h i tih re iii e airiallyehiftable member, In such structures the adjusth e t a the m mhersih e yes the h hieh'teet r w h is h hhd. te eet the ea t ah iq eii y e he. resulting product. i i

Th main phieets t this i ehtie he e hr i arelto p vi e s i hpreveq term et e e pa l eh i hydraulieelr y controlled and ituated hahisi e ah ethet e y e u atin the. rela i e atrial. sdihstineht e the ball-surfacing'members of a ball-processing machine; to

P Q i1G h imp o ed term t pee ahi h of h ki whi h ma be pie-set manual t9 t i a. ed m n de re hf relat ve h ihstrheh me a d pressurewise of the ball-surfacing members to. the end that one m hin may h u ed. tpr'h lls. w th n exa y-p escr surface character; to provide an improved mechanism of h s ki wh ch is ad ed t r ihee' r i h hi s a n machine in the course of its construction and assembly or which may h att hed t a ehrrep-t y s d ma to rep ac its 'pehyep' ia a manua a ju in m m; and o provide n im m ed. meehah hi Qt th s kind wh h is r simp e ts. s rhethre and. arran em t hence e eh mieai 't ma h a tureg ex re el pr e e in its. funet phins. and prq hetiye at qualit q tr l e i hellsih s= 1 r i ure 1 ett ee i pertl -seetieh l e e ation a conventional ball-lapping machine equipped with a hy- In the adaptation shown in the accompanying draw- 2 draulic cylinder and mechanicallyractuated limit switches whieh regulate a system of electrical mechanisms correlated in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the correlated electrical mechanism which. regulate the'operation of the machine motors, and V Fig. 3 is a diagram of the hydraulic piping for the axial operation of the reciprocable finishing member.

The essential concept of this invention involves a pair of conventional relatively-rotatable and axially-shiftable ball-processing members the relative axial and rotative movements of which are automatically regulated by a system of electrically-activated mechanisms.

An automatically-regulated conventional ball-processing machine embodying the foregoing concept comprises a supporting base 5 whereon a pair of axially-opposed ball-processing members 6 and 7 are mounted for relative rotation and reciprocation, respectively, by an electric motor 8 and a hydraulic motor 9 automatically regulated by a system S or" electrically-operated switches, relays and timers, and the control of a machine-actuated switch means lit), as hereinafter will be explained.

The supporting base 5 mounts standards 11 and 12 with which'are integrated bearing housings 13 and 14 for the rotatable member 6 and the reciprocable member '7 respectiveiy; The base 5 preferably is hollow to pro-. vide solution tanks 1 6 for separating, settling and filtering cooling solutions, topump on members 6 and 7 during p e ess nc pe i di. A he hown he e 5 is formed with flanges 17 along lateral edges to which flanges are The bearing housing 13 mounts a pair of conventional anti-friction bearings 18, for a drive shaft 19, and a thrust bearing 21 for the member 6. The bearings 18 are spaced apart axially and secured to the housing 13 and the shaft 19 in the usnal way in association with a rotative spacing sleeve 20between them. The shaft 19 has an i te a d n en a e h ad The housing bearing 14 mounts a hollow, axiallyreciprocableshaft 23bolted to the processing member 7 and actuated by the hydraulic cylinder 28,as presently will be described,

The ball-processing members 6 and 7 have secured to their respective opposed faces ball-processing rings 24 and 25, The form of these rings 24 and 25 depends upon the type of processing to be performed, i.e. flashing, ind n or app n In a machine for any of these operations of flashing, grinding or lapping, the ring 25 would have a series of concentric grooves or rills 26 formed in the face opposed h the i -2. In a m e ih iq flash and grinding, t e in 24 wo ld ave t e c m a ab a of r i e character, depending upon the type of processing to be dehe n t ach f lapp n ich is the p of machine herein illustrated, the ring 24 has a series of grooves or rills 26] to match those in the ring 25, as is well known in this industry. The size and spacing of these ree es e ls 26 a 26' de e d p e diameter f the balls to be processed. V

The electric motor 8, here shown only in the schematic view Fig. 2,- would be a variable speed of a horse power suitable for thetype of processing to be done, as well as the dimensions of the machine itself.

he hyd aulic me er 9, o actua in a y r u y inder 28 for shifting the member 7, is a conventional Q i-D he ty e i h a reve sin me h n sm c tr lled y a low pressure swi ch -1 and a. high p e sure w h PS-. sh wn en s- 2. and 3., he com epe t en of whic is ula e b he re eht e-h es ri d ehih -a hh w tch mea s 10 and t e y em 8 of conventional cylinder wherein the piston rod 27 is bolted concentrically to the processing member 7 and the cylinder 28 is bolted to a head 29" in turn bolted to the end of the bearing 14. This hydraulic cylinder 28 is a doubleacting unit with an axial inlet-outlet 30 in the head 29 and a pipe 31 extending in through the head 29 and connected to an inlet-outlet 32 at the opposite end of the cylinder 28. i

The machine-actuated switch means comprises a pair of limit switches LS-l and LS2, rocker arms 34 and 35 and control collars 36 and 37 on a reciprocating rod 38.

The limit switches LS-l and LS2 are conventional units herein shown, in Fig. 1, secured to the standard 12 adjacently below and 'above the outerend of the rod 38. The rocker arms 34 and 35 are pivoted on the housings of the respective limit switches LSl and LS2 to dispose the respective rollers 39 and 40 in position to be engaged by pins 41 and 42 on the collars 36 and 37 The rocker arms 35 and 36 are spring-biased to hold the rollers 39 and 40 in constant contact with the respective pins 41 and 42. Also, these rocker arms 35 and 36 are connected to the respective movable contacts on the switches LS1 and LS2 for the appropriate activation of the system S of electrical mechanisms, as shown in Fig. 2, to elfect two different conventional axial positionings of the processing members 6 and 7. The first of these two positions is a contracted spacing of the opposed faces of the rings 24 and 25 such as will permit the reception between them of a charge of balls of a predetermined diameter. The second of these positions is an expanded spacing between the rings 24 and 25 sufficiently to permit a rapid discharge of the processed balls into the unloading mechanism (not shown).

Intermediate these two extreme axial positions of the members 6 and 7 are two other axial positions. One is for low pressure and the other for high pressure on the interposed balls being subject to processing by the rotation of the member 6. These positions are controlled by the timers subsequently to be described.

The collars 36 and 37 each have a set of screws 43 to adjustably locate the collars 36 and 37 on the rod 38. The pins 41 and 42 are threaded into the respective collars 36 and 37 and mount the usual lock nuts 44 to permit axial adjustment of the pins 41 and 42 on their respective collars 36 and 37. The adjustable positioning of both the collars and pins permits a very considerable and close variation in the first above-described two axial spacings of the members 6 and 7 for the purpose of accommodating the machine to processing balls of widely varying diameters.

The rod 38 is reciprocatingly mounted on the standard 12 radially below the housing bearing 14. At its inner end it is threaded into the processing-member 7 and locked in place by a usual locknut 45. Although one rod 38 here is shown for positioning both of the collarrnounted pins, it will be understood that the collars 36 and 37 could be positioned on separate rods.

A series of lubricating cups 49 are arranged on the bearing housings 13 and 14.

The system Fig. 2 of electrical mechanisms, for regulating the operation of the motors 8 and 9 and and consequently the relative axial positioning and relative rotative movements of the processing members 6 and 7-is diagrammed in Fig. 2. Such electrical mechanisms, included in this lay-out and indicated by conventional symbols, comprise'a disconnect switch 48 on panel door and selector-switches 47 and 46, timers T-l, T-Z, and'TD and conventional control relays CR-l, CR-2, CR-3, CR-4 and CR-S, pressure control switches PS-l and PS-2 and the essential bridgeable contacts which are closed and opened by these various mechanisms.

The timer T-l governs the period of time during which the members 6 and 7 are in the low pressure time cycle. ,The timer T-2 starts when the control is set on auto and the start button pushed and stops the rotation of member 6 when it times out.

The timer TD governs the periods of time during which the members 6 and 7 are in stopped position for loading and stopped position for unloading.

Obviously, these three timers are manually set to respectively determine the time periods during which the members 6 and 7 are to be in any of the four relative axially-spaced positions. Following the initial closing of the system S circuit thenow-to-be-described sequences of operation continue until the following described operations are all completed automatically and machine comes back to original setting ready for another cycle of operations.

The operation cycle of this improved automaticallyregulated ball-processing machine is as follows:

Automatic operation (a) Turn disconnect 48 to on position (b) Set T-l for length of low pressure cycle desired (0) Set T-2 for length of total cycle (d) Turn 47 to auto position (e) Push start button (hold until pilot light remains lit when button is released) Current then flows from terminal 2 through CF to N/C contact of Stop to Auto side of 47 to N/O contact of Start to motor ofT-Z and coil of CR-3. 7

Starting T-2 causes its contacts 5-8 to close. Current then flows from Start through 5-8 on T-2 through N/C of LS-i to N/C of CR-2 to PL and coil of CR-4.

Energizing CR-4 causes Oil-Dyne pump to run closing rings and allowing LS2 to close. Current now flows around Start through N/O CR-3 and N/C of LS2 allowing Start to be released.

As the rings close further LS-l is contacted causing the P1 and CR4 to drop out, which stops the rings in the correct position for loading balls. Now, current flows from 5-8 on T-2 through N/C of CR-l to N/O LS-l to motor of TD, causing TD to start timing.

When TD times out, its N/O contacts close allowing current to flow from 5-8 on T-2, through N/O on TD through N/C of CR-2 to coils of CR-l, T-l, and M2.

Energizing CR-.l causes its N/C contact to open which resets TD but allows current to flow through its N/O contact around N/O on TD to keep CR-l, T-1 and M2 energized.

Energizing T-1 causes its contacts 4-8 to close which allows current to flow from 4-8 through PS-l to PS4 to N/C of CR2 to P1 and coil of CR-4. This starts Oil Dyne pump to put pressure on rings. Pump will run until pressure setting of PS-l is reached. Then it will stop by opening PS-l.

Energizing M2 causes coolant pump to start. Also, Ml is energized through auxiliary contacts on M2.

Energizing M-l causes drive motor to start.

Machine is now running automatically under low pressure.

When T-1 times out, its contacts 4-8 open and 4-3 close. This cuts PS-l out of the circuit and shifts control to PS-Z (high pressure). Lapper will now run under high pressure until T-2 times out.

When T-2 times out, its contacts 4-3 close causing current to fiow through to coil of CR-2.

Energizing CR-2 causes CR-4 to drop out. causes CR-l, T-l, M-1 and M2 to drop out.

When CR-l drops out, current again flows from 5-8 on T-2 through N/C of CR-1 to N/O LS-l to motor of TD causing it to again start timing.

When TD times out, current can flow from 5-8 on T-2 through N/O on ID to N/O CR-2 to coil of CR-5.

Energizing CR -5 c ausesv Oil Dyne pump to reverse, opening the rings.

As the rings open fully, they contact LS2 which drops out the holdingcircuit around Start. which causes the It also au cma is cycle an; Mach ne not eady at begin noth u19ma syc cg Manual aa rt rt I. To close:

(a) Turn disconnect 48 to on position (b) Turn 47 to ManuaFposition (0) Turn 46 to close position II. To open:

(a) Turn disconnect 48 to on position (b) Turn 47 to-Manual position (c) Turn 46 to open position Current now flows from terminal 2 through CF to N/C contact of Stop to manual side of 47 to open side of 46 to coil of CR5. Energizing CR-S causesthe Oil-Dyne pump to run in reverse opening the gap between the rings. I

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An automatically-regulated precision-ball processing machine comprising, a support, a pair of ball-surfacing members mounted on the support for relative rotation and axial adjustment, the members having their opposed faces structured to retain balls between them and efiect a predetermined surfacing of the balls during the relative rotation of the members and their axially-adjusted pressures on the balls during such rotation, motors for causing the relative axial disposition and rotation of the members, and manually-adjustable automatically-acting electrical mechanisms connected in circuit with a source of electrical power and the motors for eifecting predetermined variation in the axial spacing and predetermined periods of relative rotation of the members.

2. An automatically-regulated precision-ball processing machine comprising, a support, a' pair of ball-surfacing members mounted on the support for relative rotation and axial adjustment, the members having their opposed faces structured to retain balls between them and effect a predetermined surfacing of the balls during the relative rotation of the members and their axially-adjusted pressures on the balls during such rotation, motors for causing the relative axial disposition and rotation of the members, and manually-adjustable automatically-acting electrical mechanisms connected in circuit with a source of electrical power and the motors for causing an automatic recurring cycle of relative axial positioning of the members to receive a supply of balls, initiating the relative rotation of the members, readjusting the relative axial relationship of the members for a timed low pressure on the balls, further readjusting the relative axial relationship of the members for a timed higher pressure on the balls, a subsequent stopping of the relative rotation of the members, a relative axial retracting of the members to discharge the balls, and a relative axial repositioning of the members to receive another supply of balls.

3. An automatically-regulated precision-ball processing machine comprising, a support, a pair of concentricallyarranged disk-shaped members one of which is journaled on the support for rotation in its plane and the other of which is reciprocally mounted on the support for movement toward and away from the one member, the members having their opposed faces structured to retain balls between them and efiect predetermined surfacing of the balls during the relative rotation of the members and their axially-adjusted pressures on the balls during such rotatio ma first motor connected to rotate the one member, a second motor connected to reciprocate the other 1 ember, limit-switch means operable at the opposite predetermined extremes of the reciprocation of the othermember, and manually-adjustable automatically-acting electrical mechanisms connected in circuit with a source of electric power, the motorsand the limit-switch means for causing an automatic recurring cycle of activating the second motor for axial shifting of the other member toward the one member to receive a supply of-balls, reactivating the other-member motor for aftimed low pressure on the balls, activating the first motor to initiate rotation of the one member, further reactivating of the second motor for a timed higher pressure on the balls, subsequently stopping the first motor and a further reactivating the second motor to retract the other member to discharge the balls.

4. An automatically-regulatedprecision-ball processing machine comprising, a support, a pair of concentricallyarranged disk-shaped members one of which is journaled on the support for rotation in its plane and the other of which is reciprocably mounted on the support for movement toward and away from the one member, the members having their opposed faces structured to retain balls between them and effect predetermined surfacing of the balls during the relative rotation of the members and their axially-adjusted pressures on the balls during such rotation, a first motor connected to rotate the one member, a second motor connected to reciprocate the other member, limit-switch means operable at the opposite predetermined extremes of the reciprocation of the other member, manually-adjustable automatically-acting electrical mechanisms connected in circuit with a source of. electric power, the motors and the limit-switch means for causing an automatic recurring cycle of activating the second motor for axial shifting of the other member toward the onemember to receive a supply of balls, reactivating the other-member motor for a timed low pressure on the balls, activating the first motor to initiate rotation of the one member, further reactivating of the second motor for a timed higher pressure on the balls, subsequently stopping the first motor, and a further reactivating the second motor to retract the other member to discharge the balls, and other means for adjusting the limit-switch means to alter the axial spacing of the members to permit processing balls of varying diameters.

5. An automatically-regulated precision-ball processing machine comprising, a support, a pair of concentricallyarranged disk-shaped members one of which is journaled on the support for rotation in its plane and the other of which is reciprocably mounted on the support for movement toward and away from the one member, the members having their opposed faces structured to retain balls between them and effect predetermined surfacing of the balls during the relative rotation of the members and their axially-adjusted pressures on the balls during such rotation, an electric motor connected to rotate the one member, a fluid-pressure motor connected to reciprocate the other member, limit-switch means operable at the opposite predetermined extremes of the reciprocation of the other member, and first and second timer switches and associated relay switch connected to activate the fluidpressure motor to successively position the reciprocable member relative to the 'rotative member to accept balls for processing, then advance the reciprocable member to apply a low pressure and then a higher pressure on the interposed balls, a third timer switch in circuit connected to alternately activate and deactivate the-one-member motor respectively after the operation of the low pressure by the second timer switch.

6. An automatically-regulated precision-ball processing machine comprising, a support mounting a pair of axially alined and spaced bearing housings, a drive shaft rotatively journaled on one bearing housing, a second shaft reciprocatingly journaled on the other bearing housing, ball-surfacing members secured to the opposed ends of the respective shafts and having their opposed faces structured to retain balls between them and effect a predetermined surfacing of the balls during the relative rotation of the members and their axially-adjusted pressures on the balls during such rotation, an electric motor connected to rotate the drive shaft, a hydraulic motor connected to reciprocate the second shaft, a rod reciprocatingly mounted on the support radially parallel to the second shaft and connected to the member thereon, oppositely-acting limit switches mounted on the support adjacent the rod, cam-controlled means on the switches and shaft for oppositely actuating the switches at predetermined opposite movements of the second member, and manually-adjustable'autornatically acting electrical mechanisms connected in circuit with a source of electrical power and witli'the' motors and the limit switches for effecting a predetermined variation in the axial spacing of the second member with respect to the first member and predetermined 'periodsof rotation of the first member during certain of the axially-adjusted positions of the second member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mason Nov. 1, 1949 

